46869 (2024). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister of Health

46869 (2024). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister of Health: What progress, if any, has been made in the quarter January to March 2024 to ‘Implement an immunisation and screening catch-up programme including those delivered by Māori and Pacific providers’ under section 3.3 ‘Stronger primary and community care’ within Te Whatu Ora’s Te Pae Tata: Interim New Zealand Health Plan 2022?

Hon Dr Shane Reti: I am advised that during the January to March 2024 quarter, Health New Zealand progressed the following: Breast screening: • Health NZ continued to progress catch up activity including the use of the Consumer Population Identification and Registration campaign tools to remind wāhine to screen, alongside the introduction of late hours, and additional events such as mana wāhine days and weekend screening. National Cervical Screening Programme: • The development of a Consumer Population Identification & Registration pilot for cervical screening commenced. The pilot aims to enable cervical screening providers and Screening Support Services to use digital notifications to deliver tailored community cervical screening communications to improve access and support throughout screening journeys. In February 2024, online regional workshops were held to collaborate with cervical screening partners in primary care, primary health organisations, Sexual Wellbeing Aotearoa (formerly Family Planning), Screening Support Services, Hauora Māori partners and Pacific health partners. Work was progressed on Patient Management Systems Integration; whereby screening history is to be available to primary care through the connection of data from the Cervical Screening Register to Practice Management Systems.   Immunisation: • A funding package was developed to support general practice to pre-call, recall, or refer parents and caregivers of newborn babies for their 6-week immunisations. This initiative went live on 1 April 2024. The additional funding for general practice supports increasing childhood immunisation rates. Work continued to improve the newborn enrolment system in order to improve immunisation coverage. A report Newborn Enrolment written by the Primary Care and Community Regional Immunisation Governance Group – Northern was published late January 2024.